What skier and boarder behaviour gives you the ick on the slopes of Australia?
According to a recent survey from SnowSeasonCentral, the most common violation that irks them is line skipping and pushing into lift queues. Personally, I would have put personal speakers on the chairlift- who needs Rage Against the Machine on a bluebird day on the Supertrail?
Half of the 2000 people surveyed listed “not keeping a safe distance” as an etiquette violation. You try keeping a safe distance on Saturday in the school holidays when only one chair is running as the rest are on wind hold.
The third most irksome violation? Not respecting the environment. We can’t argue with that.
Here’s the full top ten list of etiquette “no-no”s according to the survey.
- Skipping lines or pushing in lift queues – 72%
- Not keeping a safe distance from other skiers – 50%
- Not respecting the environment – 32%
- Not obeying signs and markings – 24%
- Not looking before merging – 20%
- Going too fast – 18%
- Not staying in control – 17%
- Stopping in the middle of a slope inappropriately – 16%
- Smoking / vaping on the chairlift – 16%
- Not utilising available seats on chairlifts efficiently – 14%
“The survey results highlight the vibrant culture of the Australian skiing community and underscore the importance of responsible skiing practices,” says Ed Raine from SnowSeasonCentral.
“As we embrace the winter season, let’s remember to shred the slopes with respect for each other and the environment.”
When it comes to “dealing” with the etiquette that irks you? Survey responders suggested that ignoring the behaviour and living your own life is a good response to “rule breakers”, some suggested informing them of the rules (like that’s going to go well), others suggested recording the behaviour and posting it on social media is appropriate while a smaller percentage would report them to ski patrol or resort staff.
What would you do?
